<SANITIZED> THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE PHUNG HOANG PROGRAM AND VC METHODS FOR COUNTERING THE PROGRAM

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05015464
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 11, 2021
• Case Number: F-2019-01120
• Publication Date: April 21, 1971

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intelligence Information Report
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning
of the Espionage taws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the tranoktission or revelation of which In any
manner to an unauthorized person is...prohibited by law.
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ACQ
SOURCE
THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
REPORT NO.
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DATE DISTR.
2 APRIL 1971
� SOUTH VIETNAM
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� FEBRUARY
.1971 �
- 1.
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THE STRENGTHS AND
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OF THE PHUNG HOANG PROGRAM
2.
VIET CONG METHODS
FOR COUNTERING THE
PROGRAM
- VIETNAM,
/27 MARCH 1971,-- � FIELD
NO.
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STATE I DIA ARMY NAVY AIR j NSA [CRS
(For Field Distribution see final paragraph)
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SUMMARY.
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THE PHUNG HOANG PROGRAM AS A BASICALLY EFFECTIVE
WEAPON AGAINST THE VC BUT WITH SOME DEFICIENCES WHICH DETRACT FROM
ITS VALUE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM /GVNi. THE DEFICIENCIES
INCLUDE THE FACT THAT A DISPROPORTIONATELY LARGE NUMBER OF VC CAP-
TURED THROUGH THE PROGRAM ARE LOW LEVEL AND, THIromi)
IS THE RESULT OF A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR) I.E.ITHAT NEARLY (b)(3)
ALL PHUNG HOANG OPERATIONS ARE CONDUCTED DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS
AND THE REAL VC CADRES AVOID CAPTURE MERELY BY STAYING IN SECURE
AREAS DURING THE DAY AND OPERATING IN THE VILLAGES AT NIGHT. THE
MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM IS THE ANTI-GVN BACKLASH AMONG THE PEOPLE
RESULTING FROM THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF PEOPLE IN CONTESTED
AREAS WHO HAVE BEEN COERCED INTO VC MEMBERSHIP BECAUSE THE GVN
FAILED TO PROVIDE THEM WITH ADEQUATE PROTECTION SO THEY COULD
SAFELY REJECT VC RECRUITMENT. END SUMMARY.
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PHUNG HOANG PROGRAM IS A BASICALLY EFFECTIVE WEAPON AGAINST THE
,VC BUT HAS SOME SERIOUS DEFICIENCIES UPON WHICH THE VC CAPITALIZE.
ON THE GVN CREDIT SIDE, THE PHUNG HOANG PROGRAM HAS SUCCEEDED
IN CAPTURING A LARGE NUMBER OF VC CADRES AND RESTRICTING, THROUGH
FEAR OF CAPTURE, THE ACTIVITIES OF MANY OTHERS. FURTHERMORE, THE
PHUNG HOANG PROGRAM HAS MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE VC TO SECURE 4
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THE SUPPORT OF THE RURAL POPULATION. MANY VILLAGERS REFUSE TO 2
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SUPPORT THE VC THROUGH EITHER FINANCIAL OR MATERIEL CONTRIBUTIONS
OR SERVICE IN FRONT OR MASS ORGANIZATONS BECAUSE OF FEAR OF
ARREST BY THE GVN. THIS DOUBLE EFFECT, ON THE ONE HAND
INHIBITING VC CADRES AND ON THE OTHER, DISCOURAGING THE PEOPLE
FROM SUPPORTING THE VC, HAS SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED THE VC 'S
PROBLEMS IN GVN-CONTROLLED AND CONTESTED AREAS.
2. ON THE DEBIT SIDE FOR THE GVN, THE PHUNG'HOANG PROGRAM HAS
AT LEAST TWO SERIOUS FAULTS--
A. IT CAPTURES A DISPROPORTIONATELY LARGE NUMBER OF LOW-
LEVEL VC, MANY OF THEM MERE SYMPATHIZERS OR TAXPAYERS, AND RELATIVELY
FEW HIGH�LEVEL MEMBERS OF THE VC INFRASTRUCTURE. ONE REASON FOR
THIS IS THAT NEARLY ALL PHUNG HOANG OPERATIONS ARE CONDUCTED
DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS AND THE SENIOR-LEVEL VC AVOID CAPTURE BY
HIDING IN SECURE AREAS DURING THE DAY AND ENTERING.THVVILLAGES
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ONLY AT NIGHT.- INMOST. DISPUTED AREAS GVN VILLAGE
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AND HAMLET OFFICIALS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE'S SELF-
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DEFENSE FORCE /PSDF/ ALMOST ALWAYS MOVE INTO OUTPOSTS AND STRONGPOINTS
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DURING THE NIGHT)LEAVING THE VILLAGE VIRTUALLY UNPROTECTED AND OPE(b)(3)
TO PENETRATION BY SMALL NUMBERS OF VC.
PSDF AMBUSH OPERATIONS
AND USUALLY EASILY AVOIDED.
SOON, WARNING, OFF THE INFILTRATORS.
INFILTRATION INTO
ONLY ONE MAN WOUNDED./
THE OCCASIONAL
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WERE HALF-HEARTED, POORLY ORGANI(b)(3)
THE PSDF ALWAYS FIRED TOO (b)(1)
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IN EIGHT MONTHS OF NIGHTLY
R. THE MOST SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE PHUNG HOANG
THE VC SUFFERED
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PR OGR AM IS THAT IT ALIENATES THE PEOPLE BY ARRESTING_ AND CONVICTING
'LARGE Mt!MRER S OF REALLY INNOCENT PEOPLE. THIS IS BECAUSE AT
LEAST WLF oF...LIE STRUCTURE OF A TYPICAL VILLAGE OR HAMLET IN MOST
ce,..1.11100111111XCAP.M.Y.,.
courFsTED AREAS CONSISTS OF PAPER CADRES WHO NEVER DO ANY
AWN.
^*.
ACTTIAL WORK FOR THE VC AND WHO HAVE SEEN RECRUITED BY PURE pop3cIo,N.
THE VILLAGE PARTY SECRETARY AND THE VILLAGE PARTY COMMITTEE MUST
,i4ow RESULT 5 TO _TIT_ R j CT COMMITTEE. ACCORD I NG TO THE SIZE
f)T,' IMP. VILLAr., THESE COMMITTEES MUST RECRUIT A CERTAIN NUMBER
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OF FARMERS' AND WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION CELLS, A CERTAIN NUMBER OF
MILITARY AND CIVIL IAN PRO SEL YT I NG' CADRE S dETERA ;1: SELDOM-,T
IF EVER, IN CONTESTED AREAS CAN ALL OF THESE POSITIONS BE FILLED
RY VOLUNTEERS, SO THE VILLAGE PARTY SECRETARY SELECTS VILLAGERS
TO FILL THE SLOTS. THE VILLAGERS HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO AGREE
RECAUSE THEY KNOW THE GVN PROTECTS THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES
FROM THE VC ONLY DURING THE DAYTIME. ALL OF THESE NAMES ARE RE-
CORDED AS FILLING VC POSIT IONS AND THE NAMES ARE FORWARDED TO
VC DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS. HOWEVER, IT IS ONE
THING TO FORM AN ASSOCIATION ON PAPER AND ANOTHER TO PUT IT TO
� at
WatK. THE VARIOUS CELLS AND ASSOCIATIONS FORMED IN THIS MANNER
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USUALLY NEVER HOLD A MEETING', THE PR OSEL YT ING CADRES MAY NEVER ATTEMPT
TO PERSUADE ANYONE TO WORK FOR THE VC AND THE FINANCE ECONOMY CELLS
WILL CONTRIBUTE ONLY WHAT THEY ARE FORCED TO PAY. IF PRESSED TO
OPERATE, THEY WILL OFFER EXCUSES, AND, IF PRESSED TOO HART4 THEY MAY
RALLY, MAKING THE VILLAGE .COMMITTEE APPEAR INCOMPETENT TO THE
DISTRICT COMMITTEE AND ENDANGERING THE WHOLE PAPER STRUCTURE.
THE ANT I-GVN BACKLASH OCCURS WHEN PHUNG HOA NG DAYTIME OPERATIONS,
BASED ON CAPTURED DOCUMENTS OR PRISONER OR RALL IER INFORMATION,
RESULT IN THE ARRESTS OF THESE "PAPER CADRES" WHO LIVE IN THE
VILLAGES WITH THEIR FAMILIES. THE VILLAGE PARTY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
ARE SELDOM APPREHENDED BECAUSE THEY ARE PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE
VILLAGE ONLY AT NIGHT. THE ARRESTED PERSONS ARE OFTEN INTIMIDATED
AND SOMETIMES BEATEN UNTIL THEY SIGN A CONFESSION. THEIR
DISCLAIMERS OF INNOCENCE OF VC INVOLVEMENT ARE DISREGARDED BY THEIR-
CAPTORS AND THEY ARE USUALLY CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO JAIL
MANY OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE RELATIVES WORKING FOR THE GVN WHO
DEEPLY RESENT THIS INJUSTICE.
3. BECAUSE THE GVN DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FOR
THE PEOPLE IN THE CONTESTED AREAS, BUT ST ILL PUNISHES THEM FOR
._INVOLUNTARY COOPERATION WITH THE VC, THE POPULATION IN DISPUTED
AREAS FEARS AM) RESENTS THE PHUNG ROAM PROGRAM. THE VC TRY TO
CAPITALIZE ON THIS ATTITUDE BY STIRRING UP THE PEOPLE AGAINST THE
PRIM HOANG PROGRAM WHENEVER SOMEONE IS ARRESTED. IF A LARGE
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NtimriER OF ARRESTS OCCUR IN A PARTICULAR AREA, THE VC TRY TO OR-
WilF, AN ANT I-PHUNG HOA NG CAMPAIGN AMONG THE PEOPLE TO PRESSURE
r;CAL GVN LEADERS TO WITHDRAW SUPPORT FROM THE PHUNG HOA NG.
MOOR AM. ORGANIZING SUCH A CAMPAIGN IS FACILITATED BY THE FACT
THAT NEARLY EVERY FAMILY IN A CONTESTED AREA HAS HAD A RELATIVE
ARRESTED AND POSSIBLY MISTREATED OR FALSELY CONVICTED BY THE GYM
AT ONE T IME OR ANOTHER. /F IELD COMMENT: THE VC CADRES
I ARE NOT GIVEN ANY GUIDANCE ,ON HOW TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IF
ARRESTED AND THEY ARE NOT INSTRUCTED TO ACCUSE INNOCENT _PERSONS
OF BEING VC.
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FIELD D ISSEM:. STATE, USMACV USAir), CORDS, DIR1JUSPAO
/MR. NICKEL ONLY/, 7TH AIR FORCE, USARV NAVFORV 1021 FAS,
OFT, 525TH MI GP, CINCPAC PACFLT , PA CAF ARPACIALSO SENT
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